Go
on – you know you want to. Treat Yourself! You deserve it!
Do
you work too hard, constantly chase after children, over commit socially and
pander to everyone’s needs before your own?
STOP
for a minute!
Self-care
is one of the most important things you can do for your wellbeing.
Are YOU making time for it?
Too
often we women take a back seat to fun, adventure, relaxation and pampering,
especially if we are busy working mums trying to find the perfect work-life
balance! We are so busy ‘doing’ that we’ve forgotten how to switch to just
‘being’.
But
‘being’ should be a welcome part of our daily lives – ‘being’ allows us to
relax and focus on our emotional health, which is pivotal to us all leading
happy and fulfilling lives.
In
a recent TED TALK, Senior Communications Major, Megan McCormick, talks about
the importance of self-care. Hear her talk at the link below:
She
says, “self-care is not selfish. It is necessary.”
Using
a perfect example, she says, “The oxygen mask on a plane is a lot like self-care…if
we don’t put on the oxygen mask first, we don’t have the capacity to help those
we care so much about.”
So
if you’re overdoing it, make a decision right now to reclaim something for
yourself.
Megan
suggests we take
time to do things that are NOT on our to do lists.
I personally
make a point of booking a night away in the city at least once a year. I go on
my own – YES ON MY OWN – without hubby or children, and I splurge on luxury – a
queen suite with a view, champagne in the bar, buffet breakfast in the morning
and a massage or soak in a spa tub to top it all off!
It’s
my little way of treating myself! I deserve it after all – I work hard to raise
my family, run a business and nurture my relationships. And my emotional
wellbeing is paramount to all of those things being successful.
But it
doesn’t have to be extravagant (like my little venture) – it can be as simple
as finding 10 minutes every day to do something that makes you feel good, for
example:
- soak in a bath
- go for a walk
- shout yourself breakfast at a local cafe
- light a scented candle and read your favourite book
- schedule a lunch date with a friend
Some of
Megan’s great tips include:
- eliminate shame and guilt
- choose optimism
- practise self-care rituals (like those above)
All
these things go a long way in protecting and nurturing your emotional and
psychological health so you can keep running the marathon that is your life.
Megan’s
vision is for a “world where all of our young people are empowered to practice
self care.”
We can
contribute to this vision by setting an example for generations to come, and
taking the initiative to practice self-care in our daily lives.
Go on,
treat yourself! You deserve it!
Also published by SheBrisbane:
